The Impact of Brexit on Fisheries in Wales
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National Assembly for Wales Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee The impact of Brexit on fisheries in Wales October 2018 www.assembly.wales The National Assembly for Wales is the democratically elected body that represents the interests of Wales and its people, makes laws for Wales, agrees Welsh taxes and holds the Welsh Government to account. An electronic copy of this document can be found on the National Assembly website: www.assembly.wales/SeneddCCERA Copies of this document can also be obtained in accessible formats including Braille, large print, audio or hard copy from: Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee National Assembly for Wales Cardiff Bay CF99 1NA Tel: 0300 200 6565 Email: [email protected] Twitter: @SeneddCCERA © National Assembly for Wales Commission Copyright 2018 The text of this document may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium providing that it is reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading or derogatory context. The material must be acknowledged as copyright of the National Assembly for Wales Commission and the title of the document specified. National Assembly for Wales Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee The impact of Brexit on fisheries in Wales October 2018 www.assembly.wales About the Committee The Committee was established on 28 June 2016. Its remit can be found at: www.assembly.wales/SeneddCCERA Committee Chair: Mike Hedges AM Welsh Labour Swansea East Current Committee membership: Gareth Bennett AM Jayne Bryant AM UKIP Wales Welsh Labour South Wales Central Newport West Andrew RT Davies AM John Griffiths AM Welsh Conservatives Welsh Labour South Wales Central Newport East Dai Lloyd AM Joyce Watson AM Plaid Cymru Welsh Labour South Wales West Mid and West Wales The following Members were also members of the committee during this inquiry. Dawn Bowden AM David Melding AM Welsh Labour Welsh Conservatives Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney South Wales Central Simon Thomas AM Plaid Cymru Mid and West Wales The impact of Brexit on fisheries in Wales Contents Recommendations ................................................................................................ 5 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 6 1. Regulatory and policy frameworks for fisheries in Wales ................. 7 Division of UK quota allocation ..................................................................................................................... 9 Future regulatory and policy arrangements for fisheries in Wales ............................... 9 Views from our stakeholder workshop .................................................................................................. 11 Our view ............................................................................................................................................................................ 12 2. New opportunities for Welsh fisheries ................................................... 15 Access to markets .................................................................................................................................................... 15 Access to waters ....................................................................................................................................................... 16 Quota allocation ........................................................................................................................................................ 17 Funding and support ........................................................................................................................................... 18 Views from our stakeholder workshop ................................................................................................ 19 Our view .......................................................................................................................................................................... 20 3. Balancing economy and environment ................................................... 22 Impact of quota increases on the environment .......................................................................... 23 Ecosystem-based fisheries management ......................................................................................... 24 Views from our stakeholder workshop ................................................................................................ 24 Our view ...........................................................................................................................................................................25 Annex A: Stakeholder Workshop ................................................................. 26 Annex B: Written evidence .............................................................................. 27 The impact of Brexit on fisheries in Wales Recommendations Recommendation 1. The Welsh Government should publish a focussed and ambitious strategy to grow Welsh fisheries. The strategy must ensure that the highest environmental standards are maintained. ................................................................ Page 13 Recommendation 2. The Welsh Government should report back to the Committee within the next 12 weeks on discussions it has had with the UK Government about future fisheries policy. This should include discussions about the proposed common framework for fisheries management and any proposals for an inter-governmental mechanism to facilitate agreement between the UK Administrations on common frameworks, including fisheries policy. .................. Page 13 Recommendation 3. The Welsh Government must ensure that it engages on an ongoing basis with representatives from across the entire fisheries sector. It should report back to this Committee within the next 12 weeks on actions it will take to broaden engagement. ..................................................................................................................................... Page 14 Recommendation 4. The Welsh Government should report back to this Committee within the next 12 weeks on whether it believes its capacity on fisheries policy, both in terms of staffing numbers and expertise, is sufficient in the short term. The Welsh Government should also report back to this Committee on any plans it has to increase capacity in those areas. ............................................................. Page 14 Recommendation 5. The Welsh Government should report back to this Committee within 12 weeks on its plans to increase domestic demand for Welsh fish and shellfish. ................................................................................................................................................... Page 21 Recommendation 6. The allocation of quota to Wales under the 2012 UK Fisheries Concordat is not a fair allocation and is constraining the development of Welsh fisheries. The Welsh Government should seek to renegotiate the UK Fisheries Concordat, with the aim of ensuring an increase in quota allocation. ............................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 21 Recommendation 7. An ecosystem-based approach must be embedded and enforceable in future Welsh fisheries policy. ............................................................................... Page 25 Recommendation 8. Financial support for fisheries should reflect the Welsh Government’s strategic priorities. The Welsh Government should explore the possibility of introducing a system of financial support that, at least in part, rewards sustainable outcomes and the provision of public goods. ....................... Page 25 5 The impact of Brexit on fisheries in Wales Introduction 1. On 21 June 2017, the UK Government announced its intention to introduce a Fisheries Bill to “enable the UK to control access to its waters and set UK fishing quotas once it has left the EU”.1 2. The Bill is expected to establish a new fisheries management system once the UK leaves the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). The CFP uses a number of different measures to manage fish and shellfish stocks in EU Member States’ Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) (12-200 nautical miles (nm)), including catch limits, quotas and technical measures. 3. Currently CFP quota is allocated to the UK as an EU Member State. The quota is allocated to the devolved administrations according to a Concordat Agreement between the UK’s administrations. The Welsh Government is currently responsible for implementing the CFP in Welsh waters. 4. This interim report covers the Committee’s initial work on the future of Welsh fisheries. The purpose of this exploratory work has been to develop an understanding of the sector and its priorities to inform scrutiny of fisheries policy and legislation after the UK leaves the EU. Approach 5. On 4 July 2018, the Committee held an oral evidence session with: ▪ Griffin Carpenter, New Economics Foundation; and ▪ Professor Richard Barnes, University of Hull. 6. On 12 July 2018, the Committee hosted a workshop in Milford Haven for stakeholders. Attendees are listed at Annexe A. The Committee has agreed to hold a similar event in North Wales as soon as possible. The Committee invited representatives of the Welsh Fishermen’s Association to participate in this inquiry. The Association declined